Severus was deeply asleep and without any nightmares. In fact, he was having a pleasantly simple dream of he and Harry going to a professional Quidditch match. He abruptly and rudely fell away from the dream as he felt his wife yanking herself out of his sleeping embrace. Severus opened his eyes just in time to see Echo rushing into the loo.

Severus slipped out of bed and slid his feet into his slippers as he threw on a grey silk dressing gown. He then went into the bathroom. Echo was suffering from her first bout of morning sickness. He grabbed a small towel, wet it with cool water, and then went over to his wife. Lifting up her heavy single braid he placed the cool cloth against the back of her neck. Echo let out a pleased sigh. She leaned back against her husband's legs as she remained kneeling in front of the commode.

"Accio Stomach Soother," Echo heard Severus voice intone. A few minutes later Severus lifted the potion to her lips and she downed the dosage as fast as she could. As it hit her stomach, the chalky taste of the potion almost made her want to vomit again. She didn't, though, and breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'll put a few bottles of the Stomach Soother on your bedside table." Severus helped Echo to stand.

"I really hoped I'd skip this morning sickness," sighed Echo.

Severus escorted his wife back to bed and tucked her in. "Do you want anything to eat, yet?" he asked.

Echo yawned and rolled over on her side. "No, love. I just want to sleep a bit more."

Severus leaned down and kissed Echo's forehead and then left their bedroom. He headed down the stairs and went into the kitchen. Dobby and Harry were both cooking. Harry was working on the scrambled eggs and sausages, while Dobby was making pancakes.

"Is Missy Madame coming down for breakfast, Sir?" asked Dobby as he waved his hand towards Severus' coffee cup. The cup leaped into his hand, and with a snap of his fingers it was filled with steaming hot coffee. The elf handed the coffee over to Severus.

"Echo's not feeling too well. Have something light ready for her when she wants to eat, please, Dobby."

"Yes, Sir!" Dobby went back to the pancakes as Severus sat down at the kitchen table.

"Morning, dad!" greeted Harry. "Do you want some fluffy eggs?"

Severus summoned his newspaper. "Thank you, Harry. I would love some eggs."

Harry grinned and finished up the eggs. Dobby provided his assistant chef with two plates and Harry scooped eggs onto both plates. He then put a few sausage links next to the eggs. Dobby levitated the plates over to the table along with a set of eating utensils.

Now that Harry's part in the morning meal was finished, he headed for his seat at the table and sat down.

Harry picked up a sausage link, with his fingers, while his father's attention was buried in the news from The Daily Prophet. He had quickly devoured the sausage and absently licked his greasy fingers as he stared at the back page of the newspaper facing him. It wasn't unusual for Harry to partially read whatever story was on the back page of The Daily Prophet. If a story made little sense, Harry just waited until his father or mother were finished with the news and then he'd go over it himself.

Splashed across the back page was a black and white moving photo of wizards and witches raising a huge tent. The headline above the wide photo read: The O'Gilvy Brothers Magical Circus Sets Up Their Big Tent.

"Oooohhh," breathed Harry as he picked up another sausage with his fingers. "A circus."

"Harry, use your silverware and not your fingers," admonished his father who was still behind the paper.

Harry gave the newspaper a bit of a cheeky scowl, finished the sausage, and then used his fork for the scrambled eggs.

"Dad?" asked Harry as he was mesmerised by the great tent going up, then down, then up, as the photo continually cycled through its animation.

"Hmm?" Severus replied letting his son know he had just a bit of attention for Harry's questions.

"There's a man hammering stakes into the ground that looks like Draco. His hair is longer, though."

Severus stopped reading. He had expected his son to ask if they might go to the circus. He folded the paper back, covering the photograph and revealing his face to his son. "What man, Harry?"

"The one in the picture." Harry pointed at the now hidden photograph.

Severus turned the paper over to the back and straightened it so he could see the photo. It was a busy, very chaotic scene as mostly colourfully dressed witches and wizards used their magic to raise the big top tent. Other workers, more commonly dressed in jeans and t-shirts, were doing the hard labour. Severus scanned the photo until he saw the man Harry had been referring to.

Tall and slim, the man wore a pair of worn out jeans and no shirt over the well-defined, but slightly too thin upper body. His hair had been tied back and hung down his back. For a brief moment as the man used a large sledgehammer the Muggle way to pound a large, anchoring tent stake into the earth, his face was obscured. It was when the man took a break to wipe a kerchief across his sweat-beaded brow that Severus was able to see the man's face. Severus recognised the well chiseled facial features he was so very familiar with. The man was Lucius Malfoy.

Echo had taken Harry out into the backyard while Severus met with Albus, Arthur Weasley, and Alastor Moody. Severus had transfigured one of the living room chairs into a round table which they could all sit at. Just as the men were seating themselves comfortably, Draco stumbled through the Floo. Clutched tightly in his hand was the The Daily Prophet from that morning.

Draco was visibly upset as he stared at the other wizards. He almost wasn't aware of his godfather's cleaning spell that removed the soot from his clothing and hair. After several minutes where he just stood frozen in place, Draco held up his crumpled newspaper. "My father's dead."

Severus heard the pain in his godson's voice and he nudged Draco to a chair. He then carefully peeled the newspaper from the younger wizard's grip.

"He's dead," Draco repeated. Severus placed a consoling hand upon the young man's shoulder. Draco's eyes turned to the old soldier, Moody. "You killed my father."

Moody glowered and settled his good eye upon the young man. "Much as it were temptin' to kill any Death Eater, I can assure you that I only used a strong Disarming Spell upon ol' Lucius. Once he were down, he weren't my business no more."

"I have a Death Certificate for him..." Draco spoke softly and then dropped into the chair Severus had been holding out for him.

Arthur rubbed a weary hand down his face. "It was such a mess back then and along with the upheavals that the Ministry was coping with, it was a marvel that we managed as many trials as we did."

Severus grimaced, "How many Death Eaters were not accounted for?"

"Of the Inner Circle, three that we've confirmed," interjected Moody. "There are more that may or may not have even been summoned to Riddle Cemetery. As far as we know, now, Lucius is the only one that vanished from the battle field."

Draco tapped the moving image of the shirtless man pounding the tent stake into the ground. "Then this could be my father."

"It is possible," the Headmaster said softly.

"Arthur, who else besides Lucius was not accounted for?" demanded Severus.

As Arthur paused, it was Moody who replied gruffly, "Angus Nott and Walden MacNair.

Severus sighed, somewhat relieved. "Neither of them were the bodies consumed by Fiendfyre?"

Arthur shook his head. "Five Death Eaters succumbed to the Fiendfyre that Bellatrix LeStrange foolishly cast. There was just enough left for us to identify who they once were."

"How have MacNair and Nott eluded capture for so long then?" asked Severus. "Neither of them have an entire brain cell to rub together."

"Luck," muttered Moody. "What with one thing and another, they weren't given much thought. Now, though, we've enough leads that they're sure to be found within a few months."

"Is anything official being done about this?" Severus asked tapping the photo from the newspaper.

"To be honest," said Arthur with trepidation, "Beyond those at this table, no one else has contacted the Ministry with any suspicions about that man."

"They said Malfoy was the only one not throwing around any offensive spells," growled Moody skeptically.

"Lucius wouldn't," said Severus softly.

"Man was a Death Eater, Snape," snarled Moody as some of his old distrust of the ex-death eater arose within his emotions.

"Not all Death Eaters are murderers!" snapped Severus, aiming his cold, coal black eyes toward the man who had once been his jailor.

"Telling me there ain't no blood on your fingers, Snape?" Moody shot back.

Albus slammed a hand to the table as both men rose aggressively from their seats. "Enough!"

Ignoring Dumbledore, Moody snatched up the newspaper and growled towards Severus, "The man was a bloody Death Eater! Whether or not he was throwing offensive spells isn't the question. He fought against the Light! That's a Dementor's Kiss right there!"

Moody was hoping that Severus might lash back with some argument, but the Potions Master had noted, from the corner of his eye, the slight trembling shoulders of his godson. He moved away from the table and placed his hands upon Draco's shoulders. Draco relaxed, but only a little.

"Gentlemen," began Albus, "I think before we decide upon anything we should determine if this man is who we think he is." Severus adjusted his spectacles, then took them off, wiped the lenses, and then put them back on. "He undoubtedly resembles Lucius Malfoy, but I think all of you would agree with me when I say that man shows none of the aristocratic behavior that Lucius would have. He looks like a Muggle."

After further discussion that was without argument from either Severus or Moody, it was decided that Severus would go to the circus and interview the man in the photograph. It was when this agreement was made, and Moody, still grumbling, but mostly to himself, nearly collided with Remus Lupin emerging from the Floo.

Remus quickly cast a cleansing spell to remove the soot from his suit and the bit that had fallen on Moody.

"I'm sorry I'm late, Albus, but I have the information you wanted," Remus greeted breathlessly.

Moody moved past Remus and gruffly muttered his destination in the Floo. He was gone even before Remus realised he had not greeted the old Auror.

Remus was ushered over to the table and given a cup of tea as Albus and Severus showed him the photograph and brought him up to speed on the discussion he'd missed.

"And now, Remus, that bit of information I asked you for?" smiled Albus.

"The O'Gilvy Brothers Magical Circus will be at Flitwick Field, outside of Hogsmeade for approximately three weeks," replied Remus.

"They're nearby," Severus murmured. "That will make it easier to investigate."

"I'm going with you, Uncle Sev," declared Draco.

Severus glared. "No. You are not."

"But, he's my father!" shouted Draco.

"If, as the Headmaster suspects, that man has no memory of you. It would be too emotionally hard on you until we can determine the answers to several questions."

Draco slumped dejectedly in his chair. "I just don't want to sit around like a useless lump."

"It would ease my mind if you looked after Echo and Harry for me this afternoon," Severus suggested quietly.

"Will I be able to see him at some point?" Draco asked wistfully.

"You will." With that, it appeared the meeting was at an end. Arthur made his farewells and Floo'ed straight to the Ministry. As the Minister of Magic he didn't quite have the vacation time that the staff of Hogwarts had.

"I'd like to go with you, Severus," said Remus as he stood up and replaced his chair to its position.

"That's fine by me, Remus." Severus glanced at Albus who had left the table and was making himself comfortable in one of the chairs by the fireplace. "Staying awhile, Albus?" smirked Severus.

"Indeed, my boy. Minerva is having one of her hen parties," he chuckled as he leaned back in the chair and allowed his eyelids to drop. "Those tend to be rather dangerous to we of the male persuasion."

Draco left the table and made his way to the backyard. Remus glanced quickly between Severus and Albus and felt a keen tension between the two wizards. "I'd like to say hello to Harry before we leave, Severus. Do you mind?"

Severus didn't turn his attention away from the Headmaster. "Not at all. Just follow Draco. They're in the backyard."

Once Remus had left the living room, Albus opened his eyes which had been closed in feigned leisure. Severus subconsciously crossed his arms over his chest in a silent manner of how close he was to being annoyed with the older man.

"You are hoping to save Lucius from the Dementor's Kiss, Severus?" asked Dumbledore.

Severus sighed and dropped his arms to his side. "I realise that Lucius must pay for his crimes against the Light, but I do not feel he deserves the Kiss." Severus moved to the sofa and seated himself stiffly. "There were many times that it was Lucius who kept me alive long enough to return to Hogwarts with my reports." He levelled his gaze at Albus. "You know as well as I do that it never was Lucius Malfoy's choice in taking the Mark." Like so many young men back then, it was a father or an uncle who impressed their sons and nephews into Voldemort's services. Abraxas Malfoy never thought twice about forcing his heir into taking the Dark Mark.

"It is a terrible thing for the son to take on the sins of the father, Severus, yet that still does not excuse Lucius' willingness to return to Tom, and to openly show his support of a creature that was no longer a man." Albus eyed the younger wizard carefully.

"He would have lost his son," Severus said quietly.

The Headmaster's blue eyes hardened suddenly as they settled upon Severus. "So, he is to be forgiven for nearly causing Ginny Weasley's death in the Chamber of Secrets? Does his fear for his son excuse his non-action when he witnessed Harry's cruel torture in the Riddle Cemetery as the Dark Lord was made corporeal?"

Severus' own gaze blazed darkly, "We were mired in amber, Albus! With no way to escape. Many of the Death Eaters were men who were afraid for their families. They knew, even back when Voldemort still retained some of his humanity, that he would not hesitate to destroy their families if it made his Death Eaters loyal to him."

"Ah," declared Albus. "Then that excuses him."

"No, Headmaster!" snarled Severus. "It does not!" Severus had risen to his feet and was now pacing agitatedly. "Did I not tell you how Lucius was seen by the Dark Lord? Voldemort endowed that despicable Rat Peter Pettigrew with more respect than he did Lucius. The Dark Lord only saw Lucius Malfoy as an arse-licking buffoon. He delighted in torturing the man with images of his slaughtered family."

Albus caught Severus by the sleeve of his robe as the younger man made to continue his angry pacing beyond his mentor's view. "I know that Lucius was your only advocate when the Marauders hurt you. I know that you felt as close to him as once you did to Lily Evans. I also know of those times when Tom had so broken you in a fit of pique, that you were senseless and never knew how you made it back to Hogwarts." Severus glanced down curiously at the elder wizard. Albus shifted so he could better see sideways as his gaze caught the younger wizard's gaze.

"Lucius?" asked Severus. He had never known how he'd gotten back to Hogwarts back when the Dark Lord was still a man. He'd always thought that perhaps he'd enough will to Apparate automatically to Hogwarts gates.

Albus nodded. "As you know, I kept vigil from my office window whenever you were summoned. I would never, for one minute, turn my gaze from the edge of the Forbidden Forest. I never wanted to inadvertently leave you to the elements when you were injured. So, I saw Lucius. It was he that would cast a Lumos with your wand so you'd be easily found in the dusky fog of early morning."

"I never knew that," Severus said softly as he resumed his place on the sofa.

"My boy, Lucius will not escape serving some time in Azkaban. Like many of us, he made some very foolish choices that have disheartening consequences. You can be thankful for Kingsley Shacklebolt's recent passion in regards to updating our decidedly Medieval prison practices. The Reform of Azkaban is one thing that is bringing our magical world closer to the 20th century."

The two wizards were both quiet, then Severus spoke, "Whatever his story may be when we confront him, I wish to offer him some semblance of hope."

Albus leaned over and patted Severus' arm. He smiled and the twinkle had returned to his eyes. "For the many times that Lucius preserved your life, I will stand with him when the time comes."

Severus gave his mentor a taut smile before letting his breath out in relief. Standing, he smoothed his trousers. "I'd better go and find the werewolf before he teaches my son to howl." The Potions Master then smirked at the Headmaster. "Are you staying, Albus?"

Albus leaned back in the comfortable chair. "Hen party, Severus," reminded Dumbledore with a cheeky smile. "I may be here all afternoon." Lacing his long fingers over his abdomen and smile still upon his face, Dumbledore relaxed, closed his eyes, and was very quickly lost within a slumbering embrace.